This invention relates to a battery pack having housed therein a charging type battery cell used e.g., as a power source for electronic equipment, and to electronic equipment adapted to receive the battery pack.
There has hitherto been known a battery pack having therein a battery cell used as a power source for electronic equipment. This sort of battery pack is detachably loaded on a battery loading portion provided on the main body of the electronicapparatus.
The battery pack is made up of a battery cell for supplying the power, a casing having this battery cell housed therein, and an output terminal connectable to a connection terminal in the battery loading portion. The battery cell provided in the battery pack is chargeable, such that, on power depletion, it is charged through the output terminal. The battery casing has guide grooves on both lateral sides thereof engaging with the battery loading portion. The output terminal is arranged adjacent to the bottom surface of the casing so that its one end faces a longitudinal lateral side thereof.
The battery loading portion includes a loading section for loading the battery pack and a terminal for connection to the output terminal of the battery pack. The loading section is formed with a setting surface slightly larger in area than the outer size of the battery pack and on which the bottom surface of the battery pack is set. On the surfaces of the loading section facing both lateral sides of the battery pack are formed guide projections engageable in the guide grooves formed in the battery pack. The terminal section is arranged on the inner rim of the loading section for facing the output terminal of the loaded battery pack. On loading the battery pack on the loading section, the terminal section is connected to the output terminal of the battery pack to permit power to be supplied to the electronic apparatus.
With the above-described structure of the battery loading portion, the operation of loading the battery pack on the loading section of the battery loading portion is hereinafter explained. When loading the battery pack on the loading section of the battery loading portion, the respective guide projections on the loading section are engaged in the respective guide recesses with the bottom surface of the battery pack substantially parallel to the setting surface of the loading section. When loaded in the battery loading portion, the battery pack furnishes the power from the battery cell to the electronic apparatus on which the battery loading portion is provided through the connection of the output terminal of the battery pack to the terminal section in the loading section.
There are many types of battery packs having different specifications, such as charging capacity, size or shape of the casing, or the position or shape of the output terminal, depending on the objectives for use. Thus, there is a problem that the battery pack may be inadvertently loaded on a battery loading portion which is not appropriate to the battery pack in question because of differences in the specifications therebetween.
If a battery pack is inadvertently loaded in a battery loading portion not appropriate to the battery pack in question, there is a possibility of destroying the loading section, output terminal or the connection terminal. Also, if the battery pack is inadvertently loaded in an imperfect state on the loading section of the battery loading portion, there is a possibility the battery pack will become disengaged from the battery loading portion, thus leading to possible destruction of the battery pack.
It is therefore necessary to prevent the battery pack from being inadvertently loaded on battery loading portions having specifications inappropriate to the battery pack. It is similarly necessary to prevent improper loading of the battery pack on the battery loading portion.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a battery pack which can be positively prevented from being inadvertently loaded on an inappropriate battery loading portion.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a battery loading portion in which loading thereon of an inappropriate power supplying device can positively be prevented from occurring.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a power supply device which can be positively prevented from being inadvertently loaded on an inappropriate battery loading portion.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide electronic equipment in which loading thereon of an inappropriate power supplying device can positively be prevented from occurring.
For accomplishing the above object, the battery pack according to the present invention includes a recess made up of plural steps at a mid portion of the second surface of the casing.
When the present battery pack is loaded on a battery loading portion, a projection of the battery loading portion is engaged in the recess made up of plural steps to verify whether or not the battery loading portion in question is an appropriate one for the battery pack.
The battery loading portion according to the present invention includes a projection made up of plural steps at a mid portion of the second surface.
When a power supply member is loaded on the battery loading portion, the plural steps of the projection are engaged with the power supply member to discriminate whether or not the power supply member to be loaded on the battery loading portion is appropriate for the battery loading portion.
With the power supply member according to the present invention, a recess made up of plural steps is formed at a mid portion of the second surface.
When a power supply member is loaded on electronic equipment, the plural steps of the projection are engaged with the power supply member to discriminate whether or not the power supply member being loaded is suited to the electronic equipment.
The battery pack of the present invention can be positively prevented from being erroneously loaded on an inappropriate battery loading portion.
With the battery loading portion of the present invention, a power supply member inappropriate for the device can be positively prohibited from being erroneously loaded thereon.
The power supply device of the present invention can be positively prohibited from being erroneously loaded on a battery loading portion inappropriate for the power supply device.
Also, with the electronic equipment of the present invention, a power supply member inappropriate for the equipment can be positively prohibited from being erroneously loaded thereon.